Warts are benign, poorly aesthetic neoplasms that appear on the skin when infected with human papillomavirus. Entering the upper layers of the epidermis, the virus causes the proliferation of its cells, resulting in the appearance of warts of various shapes, sizes and colors.
Human papillomavirus infects about 80% of people on the planet, and not all patients are aware of its diagnosis, since HPV in most cases is asymptomatic.
Types of warts
There are different types of warts depending on the location on the body, color, size, shape and type of pathogen.
Common or vulgar warts
The most common, their appearance does not depend on the age or gender of the patient. They are located on the hands, between the fingers, on the back of the palms (less often on the palms themselves). Vulgar warts are irregular in shape or round and, due to their flesh-pink color, are usually not very noticeable on the skin. The size varies from 1 to 3 mm, with prolonged infection and the absence of treatment, groups of neoplasms may appear on the affected area.
Flat warts
Neoplasms of this species appear most often in children and adolescents, therefore their second name is juvenile warts. They are nodules of flesh or light brown color, oval or round, with a smooth, slightly raised surface above the skin. Mostly localized on the skin of the face, neck, arms and upper body.
Plantar warts
This type of wart appears exclusively on the skin of the feet, which is why it got its name. It is a rough growth with a keratinized layer of skin or a group of such growths. The skin around plantar warts loses its natural color and turns gray-yellow. The surface of the wart becomes hard and begins to press on the surrounding healthy tissue, causing severe discomfort.
Hanging warts
The peculiarity of this species is the presence of a tight joint with the surface of the skin, the so-called "legs". Hanging warts can be oblong, round or bumpy, pink or reddish in color. Such warts are localized on the neck, face, armpits, under the breasts in women. Often, the appearance of numerous hanging warts signals a sharp decrease in the body's immune status.
Senile warts
Warts of this type are more likely to affect the skin of older people. They are also called seborrheic warts or keratomas. They develop due to age-related changes and deterioration in the metabolism of epidermal cells, often capturing the upper part of the hair follicles. Keratomas have a round shape, well-defined contours, located on the scalp or face. The size varies from a few millimeters to 4-5 cm.
Genital warts
Genital warts or condylomas are the most unpleasant and painful type of cancer. Their causative agent is human papillomavirus 6 and 11 types. Genital warts affect the skin adjacent to the mucous membranes: on the lips and eyelids; in the genital area, urethra, anus.
Genital warts have a structure of nodular growths which is often compared to cauliflower or cockscomb. Condylomas are connected to the surface of the skin by means of a thin "leg". Due to localization in areas of the body susceptible to mechanical irritation, there is a high degree of injury to the genital warts and adjacent tissues, infection and the development of an inflammatory process with the formation of exudative or purulent discharge.
Causes of warts
The increase in the activity of the human papillomavirus in the body causes the appearance of warts. Infection occurs through contact and everyday life: through contact, handshaking, common objects and in public places with non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene. Genital warts are sexually transmitted.
The virus enters its active form if factors such as:
- severe or chronic stress;
- transferred infectious diseases;
- reduced immunity;
- hormonal disorders, improper metabolism;
- excessive sweating;
- trauma and microtrauma of the skin;
- wears clothes and shoes made of unnatural materials.
If the disease is asymptomatic, it can only be diagnosed by laboratory means.
Warts in adults
The appearance of papillomas or warts is possible at any age. In this case, gender does not play a special role: both men and women are susceptible to HPV. At the same time, the risk of developing warts in women is greater, as their immunity is often weakened due to hormone levels, pregnancy and children's nutrition. Due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure, women are also more susceptible to the appearance of genital warts, in particular genital warts, which increase the risk of developing cervical cancer.
In men, warts appear only in the case of a sharp decrease in immunity, which does not occur so often with the stronger sex. At the same time, men are extremely rarely carriers of HPV types 16 and 18, which provoke the development of oncological diseases.
Warts in children
Warts are a common occurrence in children and adolescents, as their immunity is not fully formed, as a result of which they are easily infected with papillomaviruses. An important role is played by the fact that children attending kindergartens and schools, as a rule, are in conditions of increased stress, which negatively affects the body's defenses. In addition to the method of home contact infection, intrauterine infection from the mother is also possible.
Most often, children develop vulgar, juvenile or plantar warts, while juvenile warts disappear on their own at the age of 14-18.
Treatment for warts
When treating warts, it should be understood that it is impossible to completely eliminate the pathogen - the human papillomavirus - from the body. Once in the body, it remains there forever, but a healthy immunity is able to keep it in check and minimize the manifestations of its vital activity.
The very fact of the appearance of warts indicates a decrease in the immune status of the body, therefore, measures to strengthen the immune system should be included in HPV therapy. With a reduced defense reaction of the body, even with proper removal of warts, there is a high probability of relapse. However, in people with strong immunity, warts can go away on their own.
Therapy should be selected by a competent physician after a thorough examination. Self-medication is unacceptable, since a layman cannot distinguish a wart from a malignant neoplasm. The question of removingwartsis also decided by a specialist: an injured neoplasm can degenerate from benign to malignant.
There are the following ways to get rid of warts.
- Cryodestruction (freezing with liquid nitrogen). This method is especially effective for common warts. The neoplasm is exposed to liquid nitrogen for 10-30 seconds. This method is good for its low trauma; it takes 1 to 5 sessions to completely remove the wart.
- Laser coagulation (laser removal). The tumor is partially removed under local anesthesia. A furrow remains at the site of the wart, which disappears after about a month.
- Electrocoagulation (removal by current). The wart is removed with a thin metal ring using a high frequency current. This method is characterized by the absence of bleeding and further disinfection of tissues. The tissues of the neoplasm remain intact, so they can be sent for histological examination. Traces of manipulation disappear within a week.
- Surgical excision. This method is used only in extreme cases, when the neoplasms are too large or are grouped into a single conglomerate. Under local anesthesia, the wart is removed with a scalpel as in conventional surgery. The removed material is sent for histological examination. The presence of scars at the excision site depends on the skill of the surgeon applying the stitches.
- A method of chemical attack that uses various acids or alkalis. This method is the most painful, traumatic and dangerous, since the risk of infection of secondary tissues at the site of exposure is extremely high. When deciding on its use, it is worth remembering that you can only act on the wart itself, without affecting the skin near it.
Medicines for the treatment of warts
Local remedies are used to treat warts, but their effectiveness depends on the age of the neoplasm: the fresher the wart, the more likely it is to remove it and the patient's immunity.
Before using local remedies, it is necessary to consult a dermatologist and take tests to establish the nature of the neoplasms, as exposure to drugs can cause the wart cells to degenerate into malignant cells.
Non-traditional methods of treating warts
Traditional medicine recipes use:
- garlic;
- arc;
- celandine;
- euphorbia;
- absinthe;
- linseed oil.
Traditional medicine is a good complement to traditional therapy after consulting your doctor.
Prevention of warts
The best prevention of warts is a banal adherence to the rules of personal hygiene: timely washing of hands, use of personal manicure accessories, towels, washcloths, shoes. You shouldn't go barefoot to the pool, shared showers, baths and saunas. Also, when staying at the hotel, it is worth taking antiseptic agents with you for the treatment of bathrooms. In parallel, it is necessary to strengthen the immune system and take care of the general state of health.